Chapter 5

24 Feb 2330Hrs
Parked at a truck stop in Indiana. This one is packed! Hundreds of people here who are trying to head north and get away from this plague. People have been trying to get information from Smith and me since we arrived. Asking what the government plans to do about all this. We just tell them the truth. That we just got back from Iraq and are trying to link up with the main force. Hell I want to know the answer to their questions as well. Smith and I are taking turns staying with the Hummer while the other goes inside to eat and use the restrooms. Are vehicle is ideal for these days and we don’t want anyone getting any ideas. While inside the truck stop the shelves are pretty bare. No water or canned food to be found. The diner was still open and serving tomato soup and coffee. Eating something warm is a nice change from the MREs we have been eating. While I was in there I overheard people talking about their struggles and losing loved ones to this plague. It was crazy to hear them talk about their loved ones getting bitten by the infected and dying only to get back up again and try to kill you. A lady was crying in one of the booths. Her husband had died in her home. While she called 911, her daughter went to see him and then started screaming. “Mommy, Daddy is awake!” Only to run in too late. Her husband had bitten her daughter. She had to run for her life. This shit is crazy! I need to get to my family now!

So far from what I can tell is this whole thing started in Florida. No one here seems to know how it started. But it moves fast and authorities have been hard pressed to stop it. Our plan is simple. Get the hell out of here. Find another vehicle for Smith. It’s getting close to the time that Smith and I will part ways. It should only be a few days till we get to Minnesota as long as the weather holds. A snow storm could really slow us down. But right now we agree, it’s best to travel together and watch each other’s back. Time to get out of here and fuel up and go.
25 Feb 0130Hrs
Oh my God! Where to start. Smith and I had just finished getting ready to go when all of a sudden all hell broke loose! People were running and screaming. Trying to get out of the truck stop. Smith and I pulled the Hummer up to the front door. He manned the .50 Cal and covered me while I went in to investigate. I can only speculate as to what happened. But the infection had got thru the Marines wall. When I walked in I saw a woman dead on the floor. She had her throat ripped out. Since I don’t know how long it takes for them to come back as one of those things, I took no chances and put my knife right thru her forehead. No need to waste bullets. I heard yelling and fighting coming from the back. There were two men trying to hold shut a bathroom door where the creatures were trying to get out from. The men fighting them off had bite marks on their arms. Damn! They are as good as gone. I tell them to open the door and I will take them out. They look me up and down and agree. I tell them to let the door open but use it as a barricade so the creatures will come to me. On the count of 3 they opened the door. Three of those things came tumbling out. Easy targets. Pop pop pop. They were all sent back to hell. I knew what I had to do next. It wasn’t easy. I lowered my M-4 and took out my side arm 9 mil and held it behind my back. I told the two men the coast was clear. I lied. As soon as they came around the door I gave them no time to contemplate what was about to happen. Pop pop. I shot both in the head. I feel bad but I know they didn’t want to become the walking dead. As I left the scene I grabbed my knife back from the dead lady on the floor. I jabbed it into a bottle of bleach, and wiped it off. As I walked out Smith looked freaked. He asked me what happened. I told him that everyone inside is dead and this place is infected. I wish I could poor bleach in my brain and forget everything I just saw and did.